September 1 through August 31. Annual membership renewals are due by 8/31 of each year.
Our annual New England Flute Fair (The NEFF) is held late fall/early winter, usually near the end of October. Dating our membership renewal 9/1 gives our members plenty of time to be sure their renewals are completed well before the fair, so we are not processing renewals at The NEFF's registration desk. (Members save on NEFF admissions.)
We welcome all those with a passion for the flute to join us. GBFA comprises young flute students (and many of their parents), adult flute students, professionally performing flutists, flute teachers, music educators and adult amateurs throughout New England and beyond (we have members up and down the east coast, some on the west coast, some in the midwest -- even some abroad). Our members appreciate the importance of supporting the arts -- especially music, specifically the flute, flute playing, and the ever-evolving flute repertoire.
Not necessarily! If your daughter joins as a "Student Member" (currently $20 per member year) then yes, only your daughter counts as a member and pays member rates for events; accompanying parents must pay non-member rates. However, we offer a Family Membership option (currently just $30) that allows 1 student flutist under 18 and 2 non-playing parents to all be considered GBFA members for purposes of admissions and fees to GBFA events and for discounts to area concerts and events arranged for through GBFA. The Family Membership was specifically designed to be a cost-effective way to encourage parental support/attendance/participation in GBFA. Even if the only GBFA event you go to is the annual flute fair, you'd still save a good deal of money by paying 3 member admissions instead of 1 member admission for your daughter and 2 adult non-member admissions for yourself and your husband.
Email is the most efficient and cost-effective method of keeping our members informed of important events and opportunities within New England's flute community. If we do not have valid, up-to-date email addresses, our members would miss vital information and we could not offer the breadth of services that we do. Mailing postcards is costly and labor intensive. We would rather put our funds and labor to bring you The Gazette and quality events.
No! We do not sell, disseminate or otherwise make your email address available to anyone else unless we have your specific permission to do so (for example, if you agree to allow other members to contact you for sharing a ride to an event, as part of our Team UP & Show UP program).
Membership includes discounts to GBFA events, free admission to GBFA events marked "free to members," discount ticket offers to (non-GBFA) special concerts and events (as available), a variety of specialized services through our website www.gbfa.org, opportunities for networking, discounts for advertising through GBFA and/or ordering mailing labels to promote a member event, plus a free subscription to The Gazette.
The Gazette is our quarterly magazine. It includes feature articles, numerous columns addressing the diverse interests within our membership base, music and book reviews, and more. The cost is $10 per issue, but is included free as a GBFA membership benefit.
Even though GBFA was founded in 1992, we are an ever-evolving organization. We review and re-think our assumptions about what we do and how we do it, often turning in directions untried by other similar organizations. While a rigid, unchanging methodology may make life easier for the Board and its members, such a structure cannot accommodate the changing demographics and interests of our membership base, adjust to new opportunities for members, or best take advantage of changing trends in playing, listening, instrument making, funding, etc. etc.
When GBFA arranges for a discount for GBFA members for an event, purchase, or other opportunity, the organization hosting the event is instructed to give the discount only to those who a) identify themselves as GBFA members and b) can say the membership authentication phrase... This phrase is usually established after each Flute Fair (NEFF) and remains unchanged until the following fair. So come to The NEFF! (Any member who forgets the phrase can just email GBFA's Administrator/Member Services Director and, once your membership is verified, you will be sent the phrase via return email.)
No idea. Wait! Here's how...
No idea. Wait! Wait!... nope. I got nothin'. Maybe disconnect the garden hose from the foot joint? Better idea... look through our list of Corporate Members and see a good repair specialist!
Email GBFA Member Services with other questions.
